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whites, he could easily change our opinions, so that we would see, and what cannot be prevented should not be grieved for. . . Misfor-
and think, and act as they do. We are nothing compared to His tunes do not flourish particularly in our live they grow everywhere.
power, and we feel and know it.
Big Elk Omaha Chief
Black Hawk, Sauk
Pausing Pretty Pebbles
Whenever, in the course of the daily hunt, the hunter comes upon a
scene that is strikingly beautiful, or sublime a black thundercloud As a child, I understood how to give; I have forgotten that grace
with the rainbow s glowing arch above the mountain, a white water- since I became civilized. I lived the natural life, whereas I now live
fall in the heart of a green gorge, a vast prairie tinged with the blood- the artificial. Any pretty pebble was valuable to me then, every grow-
red of the sunset he pauses for an instant in the attitude of worship. ing tree an object of reverence.
He sees no need for setting apart one day in seven as a holy day, Now I worship with the white man before a painted landscape
because to him all days are God s days. whose value is estimated in dollars! Thus the Indian is reconstructed,
as the natural rocks are ground to powder and made into artificial
 Charles Alexander Eastman (Ohiyesa), Santee Sioux blocks that my be built into the walls of modern society.
Charles Alexander Eastman (Ohiyesa), Santee Sioux
Please Listen
Grandfather, Great Spirit, once more behold me on earth and lean
The Power of Paper
to hear my feeble voice. You lived first, and you are older than all
needs, older than all prayers. All things belong to you the two legged,
the four legged, the wings of the air, and all green things that live. Many of the white man s ways are past our understanding. . . They
You have set the powers of the four quarters of the earth to cross put a great store upon writing; there is always a paper.
each other. You have made me cross the good road, and the road of The white people must think paper has some mysterious power to
difficulties, and where they cross, the place is holy. Day in, day out, help them in the world. The Indian needs no writings; words that
forevermore, you are the life of things. are true sink deep into his heart, where they remain. He never for-
gets them. On the other hand, if the white man loses his papers he is
 Black Elk Oglala Sioux helpless.
I once heard one of their preachers say that no white man was
admitted to heaven unless there were writings about him in a great
book!
The Views of Two Men
Nothing the Great Mystery placed in the land of the Indian pleased
Four Guns, Oglala Sioux
the white man, and nothing escaped his transforming hand. Wher-
ever forest have not been mowed down, wherever the animal is re-
cessed in their quiet protection, wherever the earth is not bereft of
Frantic Fools
four-footed life that to him is an  unbroken wilderness.
But, because for the Lakota there was no wilderness, because na-
ture was not dangerous but hospitable, not forbidding but friendly, The English, in general, are a noble, generous minded people, free
Lakota philosophy was healthy free from fear and dogmatism. And to act and free to think. They very much pride themselves on their
here I find the great distinction between the faith of the Indian and civil and religious privilege; on their learning, generosity, manufac-
the white man. Indian faith sought the harmony of man with his turing, and commerce; and they think that no other nation is equal
surroundings; the other sought the dominance of surroundings. to them..
In sharing, in loving, all and everything, one people naturally No nation, I think, can be more fond of novelties than the En-
found a due portion of the thing they sought, while in fearing, the glish; they gaze upon foreigners as if they had just dropped down
other found need of conquest. from the moon...
For one man the world was full of beauty; for the other it was a They are truly industrious, and in general very honest and up-
place of sin and ugliness to be endured until he went to another right. But their close attention to business produces, I think, too
world, there to become a creature of wings, half-man and half-bird. much worldly mindedness, and hence they forget to think enough
Forever one man directed his Mystery to change the world He had about their souls and their God.
made; forever this man pleaded with Him to chastise his wicked Their motto seems to be  Money, money, get money, get rich,
ones; and forever he implored his God to send His light to earth. and be a gentleman. With this sentiment, they fly about in every
Small wonder this man could not understand the other. direction, like a swarm of bees, in search of the treasure that lies so
But the old Lakota was wise. He new that man s heart, away from near their hearts.
nature, becomes hard; he knew that lack of respect for growing, liv-
ing things soon led to lack of respect for growing, living things soon Peter Jones, or Kahkewaquonaby
led to lack of respect for humans, too. So he kept his children close ( Sacred Waving Feathers ), Ojibwe
to nature s softening influence.
Chief Luther Standing Bear, Oglala Sioux
262
 The young man was daring and brave, eager to go up to the
Cities
mountain top. He had been brought up by good, honest people who
were raised in the ancient ways and who prayed for him. All through
The sight of your cities pains the eyes of the red man. But perhaps it
the night they were busy getting him ready, feeding him wasna, corn,
is because the red man is a savage and does not understand.
and lots of good meat to make him strong. At every meal they set
There is no quiet place in the white man s cities, no place to hear
aside everything for the spirits so that they would help him to get a
the leaves of spring or the rustle of insects wings. Perhaps it is be-
great vision.
cause I am a savage and do not understand, but the clatter only
His relatives thought he had the power even before he went up
seems to insult the ears. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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